and so bemyred himself that he hath been fain to be washed and hath attempted the chastity of divers women sold his tythe-calves for kisses with them and having lockt himself up in a Chamber in an Inne with a lewd woman after a long time the door was broken upon him when he refused to unlock it and he found in a very suspitious manner upon a bed with her after which he conveyed her secretly away and sent gifts unto her and hath affirmed that the Land is governed by wicked men and that the Papists were the Kings best subjects and is a common swearer of very great Oathes 7. The benefice of Humphrey Dawes Vicar of the Parish-Church of mount Nezing in the county of Essex is sequestred for that he hath discouraged his Parishoners from assisting the present defensive war affirming that they are damned and are Traitors to the King that have lent money to the Parliament and that he hath read the book of sports and encouraged his Parishioners to prophane the Sabbath and hath been often drunk and came so drunk to Church on the Lords day as he bade his people sing a chapter in the Hebrews in stead of a Psalm not knowing what he did 8. The benefice of Anthony Hugget Parson of the Parish of the Cliff in the County of Sussex is sequestred for that he hath preached that it was more lawful to Steal or to do any work on the Lords day then to go to other Churches to hear Sermons though they have none at home and hath sued divers of his parish for going to other Churches and forced two of them to do penance for it and hath been bound to the good behaviour at quarter Sessions for severall misdemeanors and instead of a Sermon did read to his people the late new Cannons and is greatly suspected of incontinency and hath had the and was cured thereof by one Mr. Abel for ten pounds promised him and the said Huggets Wife asking him for a piece of Gold which he took from her and gave to a light Woman in fury he spurned her on the belly when she was quick with Child so that she was forced presently to her Chamber and was delivered of a dead Child notwithstanding which he vowed he would never have more Children by her c. who is now without naturall fection 9. The benefice of Peter Allin Vicar of the Parish-Church of Tolsbury in the County of Essex is sequestred for that he hath lived incontinently a long time with several Women that is to say Mary Time who went from his house with Child by him Frances Smith by whom he had a bastard and Anne Cooper whom he hath kept for the space of seven yeers last past and yet he keepeth her in his house who miscarried a of Child begotten by him refused to administer the Sacrament to such as would not come to him at the railes there and hath been very negligent of his cure so that he absented himself that the dead have been left unburied several daies and hath expressed great Malignity against the Parliament 10. The benefice of John Hurt Vicar of the Parish-Church of Hordon upon the Hill in the County of Essex is sequestred for that he is a common frequenter of Taverns or Ale-houses and a common drunkard and gamester a common swearer and curser and hath been convicted before the Justice of peace of six oathes at a time and then swear by-God he did not swear and hath a very ill report of uncleanness and abuse of Women and hath spoken basely of the Parliament expressing great Malignancy against them c. 11. The benefices of Paul Clapham Vicar of the Parish-Church of Farnham in the County of Surry and Parson of the Parish-Church of Martinworthy in the County of South-Hampton are sequestred for that he hath lived in Adultery with several women and hath had divers bastards and hath charged the Parish with keeping them and hath two bastards at this time kept one of which he payeth for the maintenance of and is bound with his Son to pay for the maintenance of the other and hath called the Parliament and their adherents Rebels and Traitors and exhorted men to contribute and take up armes against them and hath deserted his cure and betaken himself to the Army of the Cavaleers c. 12. Lastly The benefice of Robert Sheppard Parson of the Parish-Church of Hep-worth in the County of Suffolk is sequestred for that he is a common drunkard and frequenter of Taverns and Ale-houses lying and continuing drunk in the said houses divers nights sometimes twice or thrice a week and greatly suspected of incontinency having had many Maid-servants depart from his house great with Child none living in the house with him but himself and some have returned againe to live with him and within a short time have been with Child again and he hath been a great practiser of the altar-worship and inforcer of his Parishioners to receive the Sacrament at the rails and hath put fifteen at a time from the Sacrament for refusing to receive it there and in his Catechising and preaching calls his Parishioners black-mouthed hell-hounds limbs of the Devil fire-brands of Hell plow-joggers bawling-dogs weaverly-jacks Church-robbers affirming that if he could tearm them worse he would and hath endeavoured to perswade poor men to forswear themselves for him and hath affirmed that the Parliament were but a company of factious Spirits c. And thus have you a relation of the practices and carriages of some of them verbatim as it is written in the forenamed Book intituled The first Century of Scandalous and Malignant Preists Ordered to be printed by authority of Parliaments Therefore none may think I devised it or any of it because the Book is still extant by which all that I have written here about them may be tried more I was not free to write First because of the tediousness of it And Secondly because some things are gross and abominable that I judged them not fit to be named although the Parliament was forced to record them for the vindication of themselves in shewing their reasons to the World why they ordered them to be sequestred and what they have recorded of these men and the grossest of their wickedness is proved by no less then five or six witnesses as is affirmed in the Epistle to the Reader but the truth is I should not once have mentioned any of these things but as Paul saith to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12.11 in another cause I am become a fool in glorying but you have compelled me So say I in this I confess I have but acted a fools part in laying open their nakedness by repeating of what was formerly writen but Mr. Baxter and Mr. Hall hath compelled me by letting their tougues and pens fly at such uncertainties accusing us of things they canot prove as their fore-Fathers Ananias the high Preist and the Elders of Israel with Tertullus the Orator did by
works thou shalt utterly overthrow them and quite break down their Images Judgements for serving strange Gods I. On the earth Deut. 11.17 I will shut up heaven and the land shall not give her fruit 1 Kings 17.1 This was fulfilled in the dayes of Ahab II. On the people or Nation Deut. 8.19 Ye shall perish as the Nations god destroyed before your face III. On particular persons Numb 25.3 Those joyned to Baal-peor vers 4. were hanged by the head against the Sun Dent. 4.3 Exod. 22.20 He that sacrificeth to any god save to the Lord alone he shall be utterly destroyed Deut. 17.2 lf a man or woman have transgressed the covenant and hath served other Gods and worshipped them either the Sun or Moon or any of the hoast of beaven which I have not commanded thee vers 4. If it be told thee that is the judge and thou hast heard of it and inquired diligently and behold if it be true and the thing certaine that such abomination is wrought in Israel vers 5. thou shalt bring him or her forth to the gaâ—es and stone them with stones until they dye and so shalt thou put away evil from amongst you Note so by the executing this sentence and not any other of thy own then it abides with thee for it was not the judges condemning but the peoples executing Gods command Put away evil IV. Deut. 13.12 Contains judgement on a City for idolatry unpunished 1. The inhabitants and cattel are to be smitten with the sword 2. The spoile thou shalt gather into the middest of the City and burn both City and spoile 3. There shall nought of the wicked thing cleave to thy hand V. Deut. 18.6 If thy brother son daughter wife or friend intice thee secretly saying Let us go and serve other gods which thou hast not known nor thy fathers vers 7. Thou shalt not consent hear nor pity nor spare nor conceal him vers 9. The people shall stone him with stones that he dye VI. Deut. 13.2 If a prophet or dreamer give a signe or wonder and it comes to pass and he say Let us go after other gods thou hast not known it is to try thee thou shalt not hear him he shall be put to death Deut. 18.20 If a Prophet presumes to speak on my name that I have not spoken or speaks in the name of another god he shall dye VII Naboth 1 Kings 21.13 Levit. 24.14 was stoned for and under the pretence of blasphemy Rules to he observed on the judgement 1. That God required the execution thereof onely of those that had transgressed the covenant which Moses renewed oft as appears in that statute Deut. 17.2 who were to suffer the sentence of the law and none else and so in most other eases 2. Though those were hanged joyned to Baal-peor were hanged after strangled contrary to our custome and was the most ignominious death for joyning themselves to Baal-peor or Priapus that ignomnious idol 3. The Lord being the Lord of life is not left to any to take away the life of any but as God hath appointed which for idolatry is generally stoning by the hands of all the people 4. It is observed by some that when it is said His blood be on him then stoning is meant or otherwise when the death is not expressed then strangling but usually though the death be not set down in one place it is in another 5. In stoning the people were to shew their hatred of the evil committed that they and theirs might be free of the curse and judgement threatned against them for the same one man not being able to do the same by that or any other way of putting to death Judgement 1. Jenebel and the Priests of Baal slaine 1 Kings 18.22 and 2 Kings 10. 2. Ahazia sends to Baal-zebub and dyeth 2 Kings 1. 3. Belshazzar slaine praising his gods Dan. 5.4.5.30 Numb 25.2 The Moabites called the people to the sacrifices of their gods and the people did eat and bowed down to their gods in which vers 3. they were said to be joyned to Baal-peor Statute Levit. 17.7 They shall no more offer their sacrifices to devils after whom they have gone a whoring Judgement Verse 9. Shall be cut off from among the people The command binds affirmatively Thou shalt have me to thy God Now the way of Gods calling a people and becoming a God to them nationally is by giving them laws and they taking them from him and professing subjection to them as to their Gods commands whom they ought to serve To the keeping whereof God adds by promise many blessings as David Psal 19.11 In keeping thereof is great reward To the breach whereof are added many curses of body soul goods name family earth and heaven all are shut up to men for it The which giving of laws royally to his people is the only work and prerogative royal of God and therefore is the law moral called the Royal law Jam. 2.8 and thus the Scripture saith There is but one law-giver who is able to save and destroy who art thou that judgest another Jam. 4.12 And hence are all laws of heathens said to be no laws and they without law and all the ordinances and the corrupt expositions of the law made by ancient expositors and received by their children among the Jews called traditions and they were such as made voide the law among them that had it In which it appears there is no law but Gods nor no true law-maker but God law government and judgement among Gods people especially being his Lastly As we must not have another God so we must not have other laws then Gods God will not govern by any other then his own laws Behold I pray by mens deelining Gods laws what laws have been brought out since the reforming times as in the 6 Articles in Hen. 8. time the book of Sports and many laws since repealed What is become of the Judges Justices and men made and executed those laws so contrary to the Lord and his law Solomon brings in wisdom Prov. 8.15 saying By me kings raigne and the princes that is those of the supreme councel do describe Justice that is to those judges consult with them about difficult cases without whom the difficult cases would as well be hid to them as others Now if justice be so hard a thing to be executed by men who not only have the law but use the law and the help thereof to do justice by that without wisdom or Christs help they cannot describe it how shall those describe it that use not the law to help them which ought to be their help and so tempt God not to help them extraordinarily for not using the ordinary help of God And that he speaks here of the great councel is clear they being next to the king and then he speaks of the ordinary Juges in the verse following to whom justice was to be described which is significantly set down
c. but this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my laws in their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God they shall be to me a people and they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest c. This is the new Covenat of grace Now that Children that cannot speak nor understand cannot be in it is evident by the following reasons 1. Because they that are in this Covenant have the Laws of God put in their minds and written in their hearts but little babes that cannot speak nor understand have not the Laws of God in their minds nor written in their hearts therefore they are not in this Covenant Now that such little Children are not in a capacity to know the mind and Laws of God is most plaine Isa 7.14 15 16. Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel butter and hony shall he eat that he may know how to refuse the evil and chuse the good for before the child shall know how to refuse the evil and chuse the good the Land that thou abherrest shall be for saken of both her Kings Thus its evident that even the Lord Christ as he came in the flesh of the seed of David there was a time in which he was not capable of discerning between things which differ and therefore it is said againe that he grew and waxed strong in spirit and the grace of God was upon him Luke 2.40 And againe Jesus increased in wisedome and stature and in favour with God and man ver 52. From all which I conclude that if it were thus with the Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh as he was man much less do other Children understand the Laws of God in their non-age to have them written in their hearts and minds and therefore not in Covenant Obj. But it may be some for want of wisdome will object that upon this account Christ will be excluded the Covenant in his infancy Answ To which I answer Such people know not what they say for the Lord hath given him for a Covenant of the people and for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42 6. chap. 49 8. And he is the Mediator of the new Covenant Heb. 12.2.4 And his blood is the blood of the everlasting Covenant chap. 13.20 with Luke 22.40 And he is the seed to whom all the promises were made and in him they are yea and in him amen Gal. 3.15 with Cor. 1.20 and without him could be no Covenant of life and peace for he is the substance and life of the Covenant Therefore vain and foolish it would be for any man to make such an objection Again those that are in the new Covenant shall know the Lord from the greatest to the least Heb. 8.11 but little babes born of the flesh of a week or a month old cannot know the Lord for they know not their own parents nor their right hand from their left Jonah 4.11 therefore the Lord saith plainly that children are innocent yea the children of those which worship and do sacrifice to the devil Psal 106.37.38 in these words They sacrifice their sons and daughters to devils and shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan therefore little babes though innocent are not nor cannot be in Covenant for that which is born of flesh is flesh but the new Covenant is a spiritual Covenant and they which enter into it must be born again for those that worship God must worship him in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4.24 Thus have I plainly proved that little babes that cannot speak words nor understand Reason cannot possibly be in the new Covenant Obj. But now followeth that great and unanswerable objection as Mr. Cook and Mr. Baxter supposeth which is this If children be not in Covenant they cannot be saved therefore saith Mr. Baxter in his 21 and 22 Arguments pag. 71 72. that Doctrine that leaveth us no sound grounded hope of the justification and salvation of any dying infants in the world is certainly false Doctrine But that Doctrine which denies any Infants to be members of the visible Church doth leave us no sound grounded hope of the justification and salvation of any Infants in the world therefore it is certainly false Doctrine The same saith Mr. Cook in his 13. Argument pag. 44. That Doctrine and practice is to be abhorred as most contrary to the Covenant of God which puts the Infants of Christians into the same condition with the children of Turks and Infidels and leaves them in the visible kingdom of the devil as no visible members of the Church c. But the Doctrine of the Anabaptists is such therefore to be abhorred To all which I answer first denying that any children are saved by vertue of visible Churth-membership or being in the Covenant as believers are and let Mr. Baxter Mr. Cook or any for them prove it by the Scriptures if they can Secondly I answer there is no difference between the children of believers and unbelievers in their non-age for the children of believers are but innocent when we make the best of them and the children of unbelievers also are innocent Psal 106.37 38. yea though their parents be such as worship and do sacrifice to the devil yet the Lord hath pronounced them innocent ver 38. saying They shed innocent blood even the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed unto the Idols of Canaan Thus it is plainly proved by the word of the Lord that the children of the murtherers and Idolaters that worshipped and sacrificed to the devil as ver 37. were innocent and those that are innocent God will not destroy See Exed 23.7 with Job 22.30 and Prov. 6.16 17. Again there can be no difference between the children of believers and unbelievers because no such children have actual sin and the best of children of men have that which is called original sin viz. the sin that came by Adams transgression for which they must all dye and return to their dust even the best of Saints as well as the worst of sinners for it s appointed for all once to dye and after that cometh judgement but the Scripture doth not say that any shall be judged according to their original sin or condemned for Adams transgression but it saith They shall be judged according to their works Rev. 20.13 and that every one shall receive according to that he hath done in his body whether it be good or bad 1 Cor. 5.10 therefore no ground to fear the salvation of children dying in their non-age for although they must dye for Adams sin yet Christ is become their Resurrection and they have no actual sin to